A Don in Distress
by Kawaii Bishyness
Summary: AU: In which Gareki is cursed by the well-meaning enchantress of the forest, stuck with having a piece of himself removed fully. He has to find the cure before time runs out, and commences a journey where he meets royalty, dragons, and the strange oddity called Nai.
1. Opening Night

**AU:** In which Gareki is cursed by the well-meaning enchantress of the forest, stuck with having a piece of himself removed fully. He has to find the cure before time runs out, and commences a journey where he meets royalty, dragons, and the strange oddity called Nai.

**Chapter One**

* * *

_When it is dark enough,_

_you can see the stars._

_-Ralph Waldo Emerson_

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* * *

_Before_

* * *

Gareki was still a child when he crossed paths with the enchantress of the forest.

Of course, at that moment in his tiny life he didn't _know _he was about to fuck up his whole life's path and everything that would happen to him. He was only seven- a foul-mouthed, independent seven year old, but a seven year old nonetheless. Somehow, he had wandered into the forest without even realizing it, even though he was absolutely certain that he went out to shop for bread. His step-mom was going to make fun of him about being too absentminded again.

However, what really set off the alarm bells in his finely-attuned head was when an old lady, clad in a black robe, doddered over towards him, a faux-gentle smile on her wrinkled face.

"Hello, child." She had said. At this, Gareki recalled all of the fairytales that his stepmom had read to him and the twins, which featured a telltale old witch that came to eat little children. "Do you know which way it is to town?"

"Over there." Gareki pointed to a vague direction and quickly walked on, not wanting to be caught up in some sort of magic business. He had a passionate belief that magic made the world go round, since he was still a kid. "If you'll excuse me, ma'am-"

"Why are you in such a hurry?" The old lady looked genuinely concerned. "Are you alright? Do you have a wound? I can heal it for you!"

At the moment, Gareki actually _did _have a scar the size of Alaska on his back, but he still didn't want some stranger doing some hocus-pocus that he didn't understand. "Thanks, but no thanks."

"No, really." The old lady insisted. She removed her hood, and all of a sudden, Gareki could see her in all of her young, youthful glory, wavy golden locks framing her sharp face. "I'm good at this. My name is Tsukumo, by the way. I'm an enchantress-in-training."

"Okay…" Somehow, the fact that she was a pretty lady made him feel better. After all, pretty ladies in fairytales were princesses, not witches. "I guess I can trust you."

"Alright." Tsukumo smiled gently, but with a tinge of nervousness- as though she was unsure of herself. Gareki sort of brushed it off and let her hold his hand, her soft fingers skimming over his own rough ones.

It started out rather well. Tsukumo held his hand carefully, her white fingers drawing symbols on his palm. He watched, fascinated at the bright energy that enveloped the two of them, feeling warmth bubble up in his chest. It was like eating fresh chocolate chip cookies and diving into a cloud of marshmallows- a soft feeling that he wouldn't get in a long time. He could actually feel the scar physically get better- and not in the aching, new-skin-growing kind of way.

However, it all went downhill at an alarmingly fast pace.

"Oh n-" Tsukumo couldn't even finish her sentence when the energy bubble around them started to rise and fall, popping and exploding all around them. She drew Gareki underneath her cloak, but by then it was too late- one of the bubbles had hit him, and he yelped in response, the caustic feeling burning itself into his wrist.

"Oh no oh no oh no." Tsukumo whispered, staring down at his wrist. Black numbers started to form on it, the ink dancing across his white skin like a calligraphy pen. "Hirato-san is not going to like this."

"_I _don't like this." Gareki reminded her, his countenance one of extreme anger. "What is going on, Tsukumo?" He didn't even bother tacking on the –san at the end of her name, referring to her rather rudely. Tsukumo didn't seem to notice, too distraught over the new predicament to care.

"I cursed you." She said quietly, rubbing at the skin tenderly. "It's gone."

"_What's gone?_" He asked, exasperated. Instead of answering, she looked up at him, a pained expression on her face.

"I'm sorry. I'll fix this as soon as possible." Without another word, she pulled up her hood and disappeared into a cloud of pink and gold, leaving behind the scent of Dahlias. Gareki stared at where she was standing, momentarily stunned, before a single word came out from his mouth.

"Shit." He said quite simply. He hadn't even known what the word meant at the time, but it seemed appropriate to use for the situation. "Shit, shit, shit."

* * *

_After_

* * *

"_Shit." _Gareki whispered, rubbing at the new cut on his face. "Just what I needed- more blood." He abruptly stiffened when he heard a shout near his left, and the clopping of boots pounding on the cobblestone paths did nothing to soothe his nerves. He pulled his hood over his face and breathed slowly, trying not to give himself away.

"Find him!" A guard shouted, his gruff voice eerily close. "And when you do, don't hesitate to slice his head off! His royal majesty wants him dead or alive!" There were collective cries of joy that responded to his proclamation, and Gareki mentally clucked his tongue in annoyance.

_How corrupt the royalty are nowadays, _Gareki thought dryly, _willing to stoop so low for a petty criminal like me. _The stinging on his cheek resided a bit, and he quickly readjusted his position, certain that crouching would do no good for his legs. However, his elbow accidentally clinked against the garbage can he was hiding behind, and the metal sounded alarmingly loud in the night. A few heads swiveled towards his direction, and he quickly reached into his pocket for the small blade he had swiped from a kitchen.

"Check over there." A low voice commanded. Footsteps resounded in the narrow street, and Gareki tensed up, poising himself for action.

"Hey! I think I-" Gareki sprang up, swiping the knife against the man's throat. He quickly withdrew it, his attack only used to surprise and not to kill, and before they could react he nimbly meandered around the crowd, his long legs and quick reflexes helping him to avoid most of the outstretched hands. Swords slashed down to hurt him, but he deflected them by knocking them out of his opponent's hands or by skirting around them. Needless to say, he was already a seasoned pro at the art of avoiding actual combat.

There were too many of them for even him to deal with, however. Pissed off that his brilliant tactic of escaping town was screwed up, he decided to just run for it anyway. Slipping into dark alleyways, his navy coat helped him to blend with the shadows. Somehow, more and more of the brass-covered guards spilled in from all directions, like ants.

"There has to be a way here…" Gareki muttered, his glove-clad fingers tapping against the brick walls. Looking up, the moon shone down on him almost jeeringly, as if it were making fun of his predicament. It brightened up the night sky, shining delicately in all directions- perfect lighting for the guards to find him. "Can't you just point somewhere for me to hide?"

The moon did not reply, as elusive as ever. He chided himself for actually seeking a rock as a talking companion before looking up again, this time noticing the wide-open window of a house. The walls didn't look that hard to scale, thank god, and he could always slip out before the sun actually rose…

This was the very first mistake Gareki would make in his journey, but he wasn't aware of it as he dug his fingers into the bricks, hoisting himself up just as the guards began to scour the street for him.

* * *

There was something amusing about the way the guards searched for him diligently on the ground, Gareki thought. He crossed his arms on the window railing and looked down at them, smirking as they shouted to each other to find him. He dug through his cavernous pockets and pulled out the necklace he had taken from under the Princess's very nose- literally and figuratively. She had been too busy coiffing her (admittedly) fluffy navy curls when he had slowly plucked it off from her thin neck. He recalled the memory fondly as he was also calculating just how much force he had to exert to snap her neck in half.

Not that he would ever commit such a felony, but still.

A muffled, wracked-up sob emitted from the corner of the room he was standing in, and he felt all of the hairs on his neck prickle up, tilting his head to hear it better. His fight-or-flight reflex kicked back in, and he had his leg propped on the railing, preparing himself to escape in case such a thing was needed.

What he hadn't expected was a sniffling, skinny boy that was completely wrapped up in his flower-print blanket, the lump crawling towards him.

"Karoku…?" The boy mumbled hopefully, lifting his head up. The weak moonlight streamed through at that moment, illuminating the very spot he was perched on.

The other's bright, cherry-red eyes stared straight at his own guarded dark ones, blinking and wiping away the glossy tears that left marks on his small, pale face. His previous look of despair was quickly replaced with blatant curiosity, and Gareki felt oddly exposed as the other gave him an once-over, taking in his muddy clothes and the glittering necklace dangling from his thin fingers. He quickly stuffed said object into his pocket, and he clenched the knife protectively. He was pretty sure violence wasn't needed to shut the other up, and he really didn't _want _to employ such preemptive measures against the other. However, when push came to shove…

All of a sudden, the other threw off his blanket and pointed at him, his expression one of pure fear. "You!" He shouted, trembling so hard his bony knees knocked against each other. "Don't move!"

Gareki cursed at his bad luck and ran over to the other, knife still carefully concealed in his pocket. He decided to slash off a few of the boy's unnaturally white hair, perhaps scare him a little so that the other wouldn't dare mouth off. Before he could even take out his knife, however, the kid quickly grabbed Gareki's face with both of his hands, temporarily surprising the other. His clear, blood-colored eyes stared at him resolutely, looking extremely worried.

"You have a cut! If you don't get it treated, it could get infected!" He said shrilly, catching Gareki off guard. "Sit down! I'll get out the medical kit. Oh, dear, where _did _Karoku put it?" The last part was mostly muttered to himself as the thin boy ran out of the room, leaving Gareki alone with a flower-print blanket and a room to himself. He blinked a few times, unsure of what had just happened.

The boy returned within a matter of seconds. "I told you to sit!" He said childishly, pulling him down onto the floor. Gareki winced as his butt came into contact with the hard wood floors, but he physically recoiled as the other practically slapped his face with a cloth soaked in antiseptic.

"Ow!" Gareki said, brushing the other's hand away. "That hurt!"

"So will the infection, if you don't let me save you from bacteria!" The other said stubbornly, attacking his face with the cloth once more. "Karoku always said that to protect yourself, you had to take care of superficial wounds as well!"

"This Karoku fellow needs to man up." Gareki snapped back, but he settled down and let the other treat his face without too much grumbling. He _had _been worried about getting an infection, which had happened to him countless times before.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, the strange boy busy tending to his wounds and playing nurse. When he was done sticking on the girly bandaid on his face (floral pastel pattern- Jesus, who even bought those designs anymore?), he looked out the window, wondering if the guards were still milling about.

He couldn't really concentrate though, since the other was still peering at him with no shame.

"Do you mind?" Gareki finally said, swiveling his head to look back at the other. He caught himself face-to-face with the mesmerizing ruby eyes, the deep crimson staring at him as though he could see all of the crimes he had committed in his past, examining him from the inside out. Before he could forcefully turn the other's head, the boy crawled forward, pulling at Gareki's inky-blue hair.

"What's your name?" He asked, voice full of genuine wonder. "My name is Nai. Did Karoku tell you to come pick me up?"

"What?" Gareki replied. Looking annoyed with his less-than-eloquent response, Nai pouted and poked his face. "And get away from me! Ever heard of a 'personal bubble'?" At this, Gareki pushed the other away, mimicking a barrier around his general area.

"I said, what's your name?" Nai asked again, this time at an obvious distance away. He contemplated whether or not to give out his real name when he just gave in, deciding that telling some naïve brat what he was called wouldn't hurt.

"Gareki." He said. Nai blinked a few times and smiled largely, crawling over once more.

"Gareki, huh?" Nai said. Gareki resisted the urge to tell the other to go away when Nai grabbed his hand, the coolness of it apparent even under Gareki's gloved ones. "Nice to meet you, Gareki! I'm sure we'll get along just fine."

"Not so fast." Gareki pulled his hand away from him, narrowing his eyes in a hopefully scary manner. "Who said that I'm going to stick around with you? Thanks for the bandaids, but I have to go now." Besides, he couldn't even hear the guards anymore- they had probably given up by then.

"But you can't just leave me!" Nai's voice hitched up a notch, sounding as though he was bordering on hysteria. "It's lonely! And you're nice! Gareki is really, _really nice!_"

"You don't even know me- how do you know if I'm nice?" Gareki stood up, backing away. Clearly, he had picked the wrong house to shelter in. He was trapped with a loony that had pretty eyes and frail-looking limbs.

"I can tell." He said simply. "Your eyes show everything."

Gareki felt like shooting back _bullshit, you don't know anything about this world, _but he held back, refraining from arguing with the other. There was something about the self-assured way the other spoke, relying on his instincts instead of common sense. They stood for quite some time, Gareki looking down while the other looked up, the height difference apparent yet unimportant.

Gareki broke off the staring contest and looked out the window instead, watching as the stars glinted in the night sky like shards of glass. "I'm leaving." He said flatly, taking a few long strides before reaching the window. "And you're not coming."

"I am!" Unexpectedly, Nai (the little fucker) barrels into him and clings on desperately around his waist, almost squeezing the living daylights out of him. "You're going to lead me to Karoku! I just know it!"

"I don't know who the hell Karoku is!" Gareki snarled at him, prying at his fingers. "So let go and sleep! Pretend I was the sandman or whatever and go on with your life!"

"Believe me!" Nai yelled, burrowing his face into the small of his back. His white locks felt like a pillow, and Gareki cursed at how comfortable it felt. "Please! Just let me tag along with you on your journey! I can't wait here by myself… it's the same every day… and it's scary at night." His voice was dripping with tears, and when Gareki looked back, the boy was sniffling again, round eyes overflowing with tears.

That would be mistake number two- looking back at the face of a boy with abnormally large, please-pity-me eyes that shot straight into his conscience. Gareki swallowed thickly before silently cursing himself at being such a pushover.

"Are you okay with no fluffy beds to sleep on?" He said quietly. Nai blinked, looking confused.

"What?"

"Are you okay with no fluffy beds to sleep on?" Gareki repeated, his tone flat.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay with eating stolen fruit?"

"Yes?"

"Are you okay with getting chased after by guards?"

"Yes!" This time, his answer was definite. As if to prove his point, the arms around his waist tightened its grip, almost crushing his rib cage. For a skinny kid, he was quite powerful.

"Okay." Gareki said, almost to himself. "Okay."

"I'm coming with you?" Nai said hopefully.

"I suppose, you brat." Gareki couldn't believe the words spewing out of his mouth. What was the merit in bringing a sheltered, mentally deranged kid with him? But when he looked at those pure, dark red eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say no.

Besides, he was _nice._

* * *

_A/N: Wow, I'm starting up a new fanfiction! This hasn't happened in a while, but I've suddenly been hit by how much I used to love writing, and now I can't stop._

_If you're wondering, the quote above gives a brief foreshadowing of what the chapter is about. (It may also be because I find it pretty, but shh. Let's pretend the quotes have some sort of importance to them.)_

_What do you think so far? Should I continue? Or stop? Please give me your opinion by clicking on the handy-dandy button below!_

_Of course, you don't have to, but it sure brightens up my day. And who doesn't like making others happy? _


	2. Enigmatic Flight

_A/N: Thank you for all the kind reviews/alerts/favourites! Seeing emails like that in my inbox really brightens up my day. _

_I'm going to reply to **anonymous**** messages** here. If you reviewed using your own account, I would have already sent you a reply back! :)_

**_ami-san_**_: wow, I felt really touched by your wonderful message until I saw the part where you said you would beat the crap out of me. LMAO. What an abusive relationship! But thank you, I plan on updating this quite frequently, since I happen to be sucked into the karneval fandom._

_**sas**: hehe. How can anyone ever say no to Nai? I think I would just die if into a fluffy little mess if I ever met him. I'm glad you like my writing style! I hope you'll keep on reading my story, you little dear._

_Also, a few of you have noted that Nai's speaking style is a bit mature? I re-read it, and I think I gave him a sprinkle of advanced vocabulary that he probably personally doesn't know. I can lie and say that it was to make a contrast between his naive personality and his well-developed mind (he's no idiot), but in all honesty it was by accident. I like using big words in real life as well, so... _

_Anyway, on to the chapter!_

**Chapter Two: **Enigmatic Flight

* * *

_A wonderful fact to reflect upon,_

_that every human being is constituted_

_to be_

_that profound secret and mystery_

_to _

_every_

_other._

_-Charles Dickens_

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* * *

"Gareki, where are we?" Nai whispered conspiratorially, seeming to be completely absorbed in the role of pretending to be spies. This amused Gareki to no end, but what he _didn't _find amusing was the fact that the other had such low stamina. He had half a mind to just hoist up the boy onto his shoulders and run for it when the other started speeding up, determined to catch up to the other. "This place doesn't look very familiar."

"The first thing we have to do," Gareki replied, voice low and as quiet as he could make while running, "is to get out of here. I have something that Princess Kiichi might want back, you see." At this, he patted his pocket, the clinking of diamonds against white gold sounding much too delicious to his ears. "After that, we'll travel to the other kingdom."

"You mean the one with Prince Yogi?" Nai's eyes brightened up, and he started chattering away happily. "I see him in the parade sometimes! Karoku would take me there especially to see his talent of dancing in his mascot uniform. He's a riot!"

"Mhmm, yeah. Sure." In all honesty, Gareki had never even seen Prince Yogi before, nor did he care to see him. "I've heard that they were offering up a prize of 500 gold coins and the blessing of an enchantress if you win this competition. Sadly, they didn't say exactly _what _the competition was, but it can't be anything hard to handle." Nai started to breathe hard, and Gareki slowed down a bit so that the other could catch his breath. "Are you tired?" He inquired.

"Just a little bit." Nai adjusted his fluffy cloak, the white fur blending in with his hair. "But I'm fine! Where do we go now?"

"Well." Gareki stopped in his tracks, staring down at the iron gates at the front. The iron gates circled around the whole kingdom, thick and heavy with clanking chains that only a monster could open without any help. "I guess we're going to have to wait for the gates to open."

* * *

Gareki checked his gold pocket watch, the one thing he salvaged from the dumpster and decided not to sell. There was still about nine minutes 'till sunrise- nine minutes until the guards would open the goddamn gates and inevitably feast their eyes upon a criminal and take the person away.

The criminal was him, obviously.

"You do know I'm a wanted criminal, right?" Gareki looked at Nai warily, the white-haired boy currently curled up beside him in a much-too-familiar manner. "And that I'm highly dangerous?"

"Gareki is nice." Nai repeated adamantly. "I can see it in your eyes."

There it was again- the stubborn, naive perspective of a kid that hadn't ventured far into the world. Gareki prayed that no one would come and destroy the purity, though. It was oddly refreshing- especially since he was used to dealing with cold eyes and even colder hearts.

Clearing his throat to get rid of the awkward atmosphere, he quickly shifted the topic. "So, who is Karoku?" He asked casually, not actually caring all that much. Nai pulled his legs towards his chest, staring out into the horizon. He waited for a bit, but Nai seemed to be intent on not answering. "Okay, if you don't want to talk about him-"

"Gareki, look! The gates!" Nai shouted, completely ignoring the other. Feeling rather miffed, Gareki masked his embarrassment by putting on a neutral face, staring at the gates as told to. "They're opening it!"

"Strange; they're rather early today." Gareki murmured, holding his chin in a thoughtful way. "Something must be up."

"Or maybe they just woke up earlier! Let's go!" Nai tugged at his arm impatiently, much like a child wanting to buy a toy. "I'm hungry, too. Do you have food?"

"Not on me." He said regrettably. He felt a stab of hunger coiling up in his stomach, the unwelcome feeling churning slowly. "But we'll get breakfast after we leave."

"Great." Nai buckled up his cape and pulled on his hood, the crimson contrasting brilliantly with the white fur trimming, reminding him of the story of Little Red Riding Hood. How strange that he had an uncanny resemblance to the clueless protagonist. Gareki suddenly realized that he, himself, probably only resembled the big bad wolf. "I'd really like to eat some berries."

"Berries?" Gareki repeated, suddenly jilted from his stupor. "We could eat bread or meat or drink wine and you pick _berries?_"

"I like berries." Nai said defensively. "I'm a vegetarian. Also, you don't drink."

At this, Gareki narrowed his eyes suspiciously, staring at the other. "How do you know I don't drink?" Gareki asked. "I could be a raging alcoholic with mental issues."

"But you're not." There it was again- the calm, steadfast reply. His voice was calm and paced, as though he was absolutely certain about it.

"How do you _know_?" Gareki ran his fingers through his hair, yanking at it in frustration. "How do you _know _I won't hurt you? For fuck's sake, Nai! We just met! _You don't know a thing about me-_"

His angry tirade was abruptly stopped when Nai slapped a hand over his mouth. "Gareki!" He chided, lips pursed into a pout. "You have to be quiet! The guards are walking away from the gates. I can hear their footsteps stomping into the pavement. Gosh, they're such brutes. Why can't they walk delicately?" Nai pulled his small hand away from Gareki and crouched down, seemingly unaware of the effect he had on him. All of his anger had dissipated, and it was replaced with fatigue.

_How the hell can I live with this guy? _Gareki thought, his eyes shifting back and forth between the white-haired male and the slowly opening gates.

However, he quickly swiped the thoughts away and concentrated on calculating the right timing he needed to get both him _and _Nai out safely. The problem was, he didn't own a cart. Or a flying dragon. If he had either, things would've been so much easier… while he was lost in thought, Nai's gentle voice broke in again.

"Gareki," Nai said curiously, pulling on his sleeve, "look at those horses! They're so pretty."

"Nai, I really don't _care _about motherfucking horses-" Gareki began, but then he looked down at the serene creatures, munching away on grass. An idea began to form in his head, one that was so simple he would've smacked himself for not seeing it- except Nai beat him to it.

"Ow!" Gareki yelled, rubbing his sore forehead. "Why did you hit me?"

"Because you called the horses a bad name." He replied, sticking his tongue out childishly. Gareki clenched his fists, but then loosened them, sighing as he stood up. "Wait, Gareki, where are you going?"

"Escaping." He said briefly, pausing to look at the still-kneeling male. "Get up! You're coming with me."

Gareki turned his head to face forward, missing the large smile that formed on the other's face.

* * *

"Pull up your hood." Gareki whispered, tugging his own navy one to hide his inky tresses. "Don't say a word. We're grabbing just one horse, because god knows your skill at commanding another creature to listen to you."

"I'm good with animals!" Nai replied, a bit stung. "When Karoku was still here, we picked up an abandoned stray cat. She clawed and yowled and was very hard to take care of but then I had a long, meaningful conversation with her. After that, she was relatively docile."

Gareki stared at him for a long time. "You really _are _mental." He concluded, turning around and peering out to check if any guards were patrolling around the place. "Okay, Nai." Gareki said, making a hole through the bush so that he could see the clearing much better. "On the count of three, I want you to run to the gates as fast as possible. I'll be right after you as soon as I get the reins of a horse. If they catch you, kick, scream, bite- whatever you can do to escape. If worst comes to worst, I'll save you." Gareki waited for an affirmation, but the other didn't make a sound. He swiveled his head, about to tell him off, when he realized the other wasn't beside him.

"_Shit!" _Gareki cursed, looking around. "Where the fuck are you, Nai?"

"Hey, horsey." Nai's smooth voice entered Gareki's eardrum, and after a while he realized that Nai was outside.

With a carrot.

Talking to the horse like he was a lunatic.

"Do you mind if my friend and I take you out on a ride? We're going to see Prince Yogi! Do you like Prince Yogi? He's very nice." He coaxed the horse carefully, waving the orange carrot he had picked up from god-knows-where.

Gareki resisted the urge to run out and shout, _we are not friends and we are not going to see Prince Yogi _since the horse actually tilted his head and looked at Nai intently, an unreadable look on his face. Gareki held his breath. What if the loony wasn't quite so dumb as he first thought he was? The horse clopped its hooves on the ground before throwing its head back, the lustrous black mane shining under the sun.

"Great!" Nai chirped, grabbing the glossy reins. "Thank you! We're forever indebted to you! Gareki, come on! Horse-san said that we can get on."

"Okay…" Gareki got out from the bush, feeling like an idiot. He brushed off the spare twigs and leaves off from his hair and walked over to the horse uncertainly, feeling like the animal's round black eyes were judging him. After a few seconds, the horse knocked against his chest playfully, and he felt himself relax a bit.

"I'm just going to go ahead and assume that you don't know how to ride a horse?" Gareki inquired, an eyebrow quirked up with a questioning look. Nai shook his head, and Gareki nodded. "As I thought. Alright, climb in this way…" Gareki helped hoist the other boy up onto the saddle before following suit, his long legs easily swinging over comfortably on the black horse's back. "Hand me the reins."

Nai looked at him for a minute, blood-colored eyes glittering prettily in the sunlight. The effect rather disarmed the black-haired boy for a second before he gathered his wits and stretched out his hand impatiently. "Give me the reins! We don't have all day." He said impatiently.

Instead of giving him the leather like he had asked, Nai twisted his body and reached for his hair, running his fingers through it and unknotting a few strands. Gareki sat there, frozen as the other tended to his hairdo, diligently fixing a few locks and pulling out leaves here and there. Catching the confused look Gareki had shot to him, Nai giggled.

"You looked like a mess, silly." Nai said, looping the reins around Gareki's wrists. "Can't have my knight in shining armor parade around town with bugs in his hair."

"Who's your knight in shining armor?" Gareki managed to say, yanking the reins not-so-gently. The horse whinnied in response before trotting towards the gates, and Nai leaned against him, body lax and expression cheerful. Gareki resisted the urge to tell the other that was _not _just a walk in the park, that this was serious business- and if either of them were caught, it was over. They'd be behind locked doors forever. Nai felt toasty warm in his arms, and he watched as the guard shooed them away without a care in the world.

"That was too easy." Gareki murmured to Nai.

"I smiled at him, and he let us through. He's a nice man." Nai said back, petting the horse's back. "Now let's go, Gareki! We're off to see the world!"

"Not really." But Gareki still kicked the horse into a gallop, and they ran into the forest, the wind whipping their hoods back and seeping in to their skin.

* * *

"We're here right now." Gareki pulled out his trusty, wrinkled map, the creases so deep and folded that they threatened to be ripped in half. He pointed at a gigantic, well-drawn rendition of a castle, the outline inked with dark pink. "But we're somewhere around the outskirts of it." He moved his pointer finger to the picture of a forest, the small, bushy trees looking nothing like the actual large ones surrounding them at the moment. "We have to get here, which will take at least two days." He tapped at a yellow castle with a mascot drawn in the corner of it, and Nai's eyes brightened up.

"It's Nyanperowna!" He said excitedly, jabbing at the mascot so hard Gareki was worried he would break the paper. "I know it, because Karoku always pointed him out and said that that was probably the dumbest costume he had ever seen!"

Well, at least Karoku and he had _something _in common. "Anyway, we'll be arriving there in two days time. For now, we'll pick up some food and then travel more. We can sleep at night, but we're waking up at the crack of dawn. If all goes well, we might even be ahead of schedule." Gareki looked up to check if the other was listening, but Nai was staring at the map resolutely, looking deeply immersed in memorizing the map.

"I think I used to live here." Nai said suddenly, pointing at a forest on the very edge of the map. Gareki stared at the forest, the image colored in with watercolors and swirling with rainbows. "My mom and dad were there, too. We had a happy life together. Not in the fairytale, no-illnesses-or-arguments kind of happy, but the happy that you could feel and visibly _see. _It was so beautiful." His normally clear eyes were clouded over, and Gareki wasn't sure what to do. Should he hug him? Say that it was alright? But he had never comforted someone else before- it was usually just him. Him and his stupid curse, travelling alone together.

Before he could say anything though, Nai looked up, a small smile on his face. "But because I left, I got to meet Karoku! And now, I get to meet you!" He said impishly. "It's like when I wish for it, someone comes to me. Or maybe it's because I'm keeping myself open for others so that I'll be there for them, just like how someone was always there for me. I'm glad we're travelling together, Gareki."

For a moment, Gareki couldn't reply. He couldn't understand what the other was feeling, how he could be so optimistic and trusting of others, but he managed to nod before looking back down at the map, navy bangs covering his puzzled face. "So what are you searching for in this journey, Nai?" Gareki asked instead. "Why are you with me? Is it to find Karoku?"

Nai thought for minute, mulling over his thoughts. He looked at the map as well, eyes focused on his birthplace. "I'm with you because I wanted to find myself." Nai said simply. "And I wanted an adventure. I realized that both of my goals could be achieved with you."

The cryptic answer was one that Gareki would spend many sleepless nights trying to decipher, but at the moment, it seemed to fit perfectly with the atmosphere, and he chose not to push it. Instead, he folded up the map and told the other to go collecting for berries.

* * *

_A/N: Oh, if you guys were wondering, the title is basically the romanticized male version of "a damsel in distress"._

_As usual, please review if possible! I love chatting with you guys. :)_

_I'll be updating this on a weekly basis, so look forward to the next chapter!~_


	3. Midday Hue

**Chapter Three: **Midday Hue

* * *

_The truth is rarely pure_

_and never_

_simple._

_-Oscar Wilde_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

* * *

He had known it from the start, but the other was a diehard, clumsy little brat that was a burr on his side. Especially now, since he had managed to singlehandedly burn the fish Gareki had spent such a long time catching _and _squash all of the berries, the red juice splattered on the dirt floor like blood.

"I'm sorry." Nai said, his head hung low. "It was by accident."

"I know, which is why it's unforgivable." A person with the malicious intent to destroy dinner would be easy to punish, but a person who _accidentally _destroyed dinner was a completely different topic altogether. Gareki gritted his teeth and ignored the grumbling in his stomach, instead settling down to enjoy the campfire. "I guess we'll have to go hungry for tonight."

"I have sugar cubes, if you'd like. They're actually for Horse-san, but you know… when push comes to shove…" Nai shyly offered up a white sugar cube, but before he could even grab it, the sugar cubes slipped off from his hand and landed into the fire, the red flames licking it up hungrily. They stared at it in silence, and Nai looked at him with an apologetic look.

"You know what, just sit there. You do more harm than any good, anyway." Gareki lied down on the floor, using the log as an incredibly uncomfortable pillow. After a blissful moment of peace, Nai opened his mouth to speak again.

"Gareki, why were you climbing up my window?" Nai asked curiously. Gareki sighed and rolled over, staring up at the stars. The moon was up again, showing off her perfect, round face down to Earth.

"I needed to escape. Your window was open." He said, willing for the other to put the two together. Nai rocked on the floor, knees huddled close to keep himself warm. It was remarkably cold at night. "I wasn't expecting to see a sniveling brat wrapped up in blankets, though."

Instead of retorting back to Gareki's not-so-sweet words, Nai hummed in response, the sound almost inaudible in the air. He scooted over closer to the fire, wrapping his cloak around his body. The action didn't go unnoticed by the black-haired boy, and he regretted the fact that he hadn't asked the other to bring a blanket or something.

"Gareki." Nai said, staring into the fire. The flames illuminated his already-red eyes, making them shine brilliantly. "Why are you alone?"

The question caught the other off guard, and Gareki warily turned over, making sure his face wasn't visible. "What do you mean?" He said, playing dumb. Nai, however, was annoyingly perceptive, and he wasn't fooled by the obvious attempt to circumvent the topic.

"Do you have a family?" Nai persisted, the simple sentence stabbing Gareki straight through the heart. "Are they waiting for you to go back? Is that why you took the necklace?"

He grabbed a fistful of dirt, his fingers clenched and tense in his palm. "That's none of your business." He replied coldly, his voice so flat and monotone that he could feel Nai flinching rather than actually seeing it. "I have my own reason to take the necklace, and I'm not about to share that with you. Don't think for even a second that just because I haven't killed you, I won't kill you in the future. Watch your back, kid."

Silence met his vicious words, and Gareki finally relaxed his grip on the dirt, leaving deep indents into the soil. Several shuffling sounds were heard, and he figured that perhaps the other was leaving him, realizing that he couldn't stay with such a brute- just like the others. Solitude was something he was used to. Better leave now than later, anyway.

Instead of the footsteps getting quieter, it sounded nearer, and all of a sudden Nai plopped down beside him. A hesitant hand reached over and patted his head, the gesture awkward yet comforting.

"Don't say words you don't mean, Gareki." Nai said gently. Gareki found himself unable to tell the other to _piss off, _too enraptured in the therapeutic way the other was stroking his hair. "It may push people away."

He chose not to comment on it, instead falling asleep to safe hands and the ever-watchful stars.

* * *

Gareki woke up to the sun beating down on his face uncomfortably, possibly burning one side of his face and leaving the other half unscathed. He yawned and stretched, pausing only to yank the white-haired boy's fingers away from his sleeve and checked the time, grimacing when the clock showed that it was ten past one. They were already far behind schedule, which would surely screw up his plans.

"Get up, lazy ass." Gareki nudged the sleeping boy with his foot, stirring the other from unconsciousness. "We're severely behind schedule, and it's all your fault."

"Okay…" Nai stood up, rubbing his tired eyes sleepily. Apparently, the boy only heard the stuff he wanted to- he tended to brush off whatever insults Gareki shot towards him. "I'm sure we'll be fine, Gareki. Let's just get on Horse-san and go."

Gareki made a small noise in agreement and packed up all of the stuff in the campsite, which consisted of matches and the leftover bits of toasted fish that wasn't so burnt it was inedible. Nai had somehow already clambered on top of the horse already, impatiently motioning for Gareki to hurry up. He rolled his eyes and climbed on as well, and they went off galloping down the trail.

Horse-riding was a generally quiet affair, especially when said horse was running at a speed that made sitting unbearable. Gareki clutched the reins in his gloved hands tightly, afraid of letting go, for the shorter male was relying on him for support. Looking out from behind Nai's white hair, he suddenly noticed the odd, lavender colored tips, the strands weaving in and out of each other. He took a mental note to ask him about it later when Nai turned around, knocking his forehead against his own.

"Ow!" Nai winced, rubbing at the sore spot. "What'd you do that for?"

"I should be asking you that!" Gareki said, exasperated. He ignored the throbbing on his forehead and leaned back, trying to get some personal space. "Anyway, what do you want?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to eat!" Nai said, his voice almost being swept away by the wind. "I can hear the fryer going off- if we continue on this road for a few hundred meters or so, we'll reach a diner!"

"How can you hear a fryer from a few hundred meters away?" Gareki asked suspiciously. Nai smiled mysteriously, the little imp looking cheeky.

"I just can. It's a special skill of mine." Nai turned to look forward again, and practically molded himself into Gareki's body, the warmth emanating from all areas. The black-haired boy wanted to lean away again, but if he scooted down further, he would have fallen off of the horse.

"You're too close." Gareki growled, hoping that it would make the other boy go away.

No such luck. Nai wriggled around a bit and stayed put, doing absolutely nothing to help him. "Gareki, if you could start being honest to yourself and to others around you, it would help you out a lot." Gareki felt a bubble of words well up in his chest, but he sighed and let the cacophony inside of him calm down. He should be used to the white-haired boy's uncanny assumptions by then. "And it would help me a lot, too!"

"Does it look like I want to help you?" Gareki grumbled, tugging at Horse-san's reins to turn left. The distinct smell of barbeque permeated the air, and he had to swallow hard to prevent the saliva from dripping down his mouth. "Because if you got the impression I did, you're wrong."

"You didn't kick me away." Nai said, his hands tangled up in the horse's mane. "You let me sleep beside you. You just like to tuck yourself away in a little cocoon, Gareki, and that really hurts."

His words stung, the well-meaning sentences swimming in his head. It scared him that such a stranger, who only knew him for a couple of hours, managed to crack open his thick skull and dig deep for his heart. He felt like he was slipping into the abyss, slipping, slipping, slipping…

"One question." Gareki mumbled.

"I'm sorry?" Nai said, swiveling his head. Gareki quickly pushed his head back, if only to save what remnants of his ego he had left.

"You get to ask me one question, and I'm done for the day." Gareki snapped at him, a little roughly. Nai looked nonplussed at the harsh tone and visibly brightened up, ebullient at being able to ask him personal questions.

"Then… hmm… why do you have that necklace with you?" Of all the questions he was going to ask, he surely wasn't expecting that to be the first one. He looked into his pocket, the omnipresent clank of jewelry knocking against jewelry, and he quickly thought of an answer that would partially conceal the true reason.

"I took this because I needed it." He said matter-of-factly. "It's going to cure me."

"What? Are you sick?" Nai said worriedly, already fretting over the other. "Are you okay? You're not going to die, are you?"

"You used up your question for the day." Gareki said simply.

"But that's not fair!" Nai whined, much like a child. Gareki pulled at the reins, and Horse-san slowed down into a trot before finally stopping in front of a large brickhouse.

"Well, life isn't fair." Gareki replied. "On a side note, shut up for a second. We're going to go eat, because I'm so hungry I could eat a horse." He caught the side glance Nai shot at him, and he sighed. "Not literally, of course. We still need the horse to move."

"I know what you mean. I'm not that clueless." Nai said, a bit miffed.

"Could've fooled me."

* * *

The second they stepped foot into the cavern, Gareki felt an uneasy shiver travel all the way up his spine and resonate in his head. He unconsciously stepped in front of Nai and grabbed onto the boy's cloak, motioning for him to pull up his hood. It wasn't very common for someone to have white hair and red eyes, so he hoped that no one would question it.

Of course, all of the people inside the brick house had to turn around and stare at the newcomers, their inquisitive stares penetrating his very flesh.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" A way-too-cheerful, ponytailed girl walked over to them, her dark garnet eyes looking at him with interest. "Table for two?"

"Actually, we'd just like to have some bread. _To go_." He said the last two words with a greater emphasis, hoping that she understood. She tilted her head to the side, her smile widening just slightly.

"I'm sorry, sir. We don't have takeout. However, if you sit down, we can offer you complimentary refreshments!" She practically yanked Nai's arm out from Gareki's hand and forced him down onto a table, conjuring up two glasses of water from nowhere. Instinctively, Gareki reached out to grab onto Nai, but the younger boy was quickly swept up into the hands of a much more muscular man, his narrowed eyes glinting deviously.

"Haven't seen you two around before." He said, smiling just large enough to see his gold tooth glinting under the flickering light. "Where are you two lovebirds travelling?"

_Lovebirds? _Gareki raised an eyebrow, but then realized that with Nai's hood covering up half of his face, it could be passable that he was a girl. He decided to ignore the term and continue on with a blasé act, hoping the other would drop the white-haired boy without injuring him. "We're nomads." He said smoothly, twirling the water cup in his hand. "We come and go. We're sort of hungry right now, though."

"I'll fetch you something to eat right now!" The waitress chirped, running back into the kitchen. If they didn't have the diner's attention before, they certainly had it now. All of the inhabitants paused what they were doing and stared with amusement.

"Would you mind giving her back to me?" Gareki said, pointing at Nai. The white-haired boy's bright red eyes looked back at him with a sort of frantic desperation reflected from it, willing him to save him. "She's a little shy, you see. People tend to scare her."

"Not so fast." Another man stepped in, his cigarette jutting out from his lips. "You stepped into the wrong place, kid. Now pay the price before we kill her."

_Great, _Gareki thought grimly. _Just what I needed. A fight before reaching the kingdom. _

"Here." Gareki threw out his sack of silver coins, the pitiful amount sounding sad even to his ears. "This is all I have on me right now."

"You're lying." The waitress's voice sounded eerily close to his ear, and he jumped back in response- but not before she had snaked her hand into his pocket, the damn thief. The diamond necklace sparkled beautifully under the cracked lights of the pub, and the customers all whooped, sounding impressed. "Wow, how did you bag _this _wonderful jewel? If I remember correctly, this is Princess Kiichi's prized diamond necklace?" She held it by the golden clasp, admiring it as all women would do if they held such a brilliant piece.

"Give it back, you bitch!" Gareki threw the water at her face, who immediately shrieked and tried to wipe away the liquid. She only succeeded at rubbing her makeup all over her visage, the black ink making her look like a monster. He ran over and snatched at it, but two other men grabbed him behind his arms, making him stop in his tracks. The big muscular guy was still holding onto Nai as he fetched the necklace, grinning like a maniac.

"See, I really wouldn't mind taking both the necklace and the girl-" At this, Nai began squirming and kicking, looking absolutely terrified, "but I don't have connections into the slavery business, which is too bad. So I'll let you keep your girlfriend, so long as you keep your mouth shut. I'm not against killing people, you see."

"You are an underhanded asshole that deserves to rot in hell." Gareki spat out, straining against the grip of the two men. "Give them back to me!"

"I'm not a patient man, you see. I'll give you three seconds for your decision." He raised his sword against Nai's neck, and the other yelped in response. "Three…" He sliced off a bit of Nai's hair, his muscles completely tense and rigid as he watched the boy helplessly dangle from the man's arms.

Goddammit. When was he _ever _going to be strong enough to protect the people around him? No matter how much of a pain in the ass Nai was, he was notgoing to let him die. Never. He wouldn't allow such a thing to happen.

"Two…"

"ALRIGHT!" Gareki shouted, willing the other to stop. "Take the goddamn necklace! Just leave-"

Before he could finish his sentence, an explosion resounded to his left, making them all turn to see what exactly happened. A gigantic hole was created, making dust and rubble fall like snowflakes. A coughing sound was heard, and that was when Gareki saw something he would never, ever forget.

"I am the heart-throbbing sparkling prince!" The man yelled loudly. "And I will not be lenient on those who dare defy justice!"

It was a gigantic, kung-fu posing yellow cat with bulging pink eyes and the most ridiculous bow tie ever.

* * *

_A/N: And so Yogi finally appears!_

_I'll be including most of the Karneval cast in this fanfiction because I love them all to death._

_No review = no update! :)_


	4. Evening Blue

**Chapter Four: **Evening Blue

* * *

_To hurt_

_is_

_as human_

_as_

_to breathe._

_-J.K Rowling_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

* * *

Never had he seen Nai's eyes light up as fast as they did now.

"Gareki! Look! It's Nyanperowna!" He said excitedly, squirming and kicking like he was at an amusement park. "I told you he was cool!"

"Thank you for calling me cool, madam." The gigantic freak said, bowing down slightly. He danced around the rubble, and Gareki felt the grip on his arms slackening. "Now, I will save you both!"

At that precise moment, Gareki twisted his arms and swiveled around, knocking both of them out with the back of his elbow. He ran forward with his knife out, slashing the hand that was holding Nai captive. The man yowled and let go of the poor boy, who quickly dashed away and hid behind the safety of the large mascot.

"You'll pay for this, you brat." The man growled, clenching his bleeding hand. Before he knew it, the muscular man had landed an uppercut on his face, knocking his teeth so hard against each other he swore that he had lost them all, had it not been for the fact that none of them were rattling. "I'm going to slice your stomach and pull out all of your intestines!"

"Not so fast." The cat pushed Nai into Gareki's arms and slammed into the man, making him gasp and clutch his stomach in pain. "No violence allowed in diners!" He chided, pulling the necklace out from the other's weak grasp. "And definitely no stealing from lovely couples." The mascot turned around to face them, his hand outstretched. He stared at it suspiciously before the cat sighed and shoved the necklace back into Gareki's pocket, impatiently gesturing for him to follow.

"Now, if you want to be killed here, that's fine with me. But I think you two want to make it out alive, right?" The lumpy fellow was surprisingly quick on his feet, jumping here and there with a certain grace that shouldn't have been bestowed upon mascot-wearing morons. Gareki quickly grabbed Nai's hand and forced him to run, the two of them chasing after the suspicious cat as fast as possible.

"Is that your horse? Better get on him, lest he gets all antsy." The cat said, chuckling. Gareki couldn't help but feel ticked off- who the hell was this guy, thinking that he could just storm in and start poking into someone else's business?

"I got it." Gareki snapped back, pushing Nai onto the horse. "Nai, hold on tight. Don't want you to fall off." He muttered, yanking at the reins for the horse to start moving.

"Okay." Nai said breezily, not even containing an ounce of fear in his voice. That surprised him greatly- did the boy man up within the past few minutes? Or was he just simply immune to the danger that had just passed by? No, that wasn't the case. He had been shaking in his boots while he was held hostage. So why was he so relaxed now?

As if reading his mind, Nai turned around, shooting him a reassuring smile. "Gareki is here with me, so I'm safe!" He said innocently. "You saved me, and held my hand. I knew you were nice!"

Gareki could feel his cheeks warming up. "S-Shut up!" He said, smacking the white-haired boy's head. "You could've died, you idiot!"

"But I didn't. Because you saved me!" He smiled so wide that it was impossible to look away from him. "And, Nyanperowna saved Gareki!"

In a flash, Gareki felt all of the previous ooey-gooey-feelings melt away from him. "Excuse me? The mascot did not save me." Gareki said indignantly, too proud to admit that yes, the freak really _did _save him from his death. Saved them both, actually.

"It's okay, little one!" Nyanperowna said, running beside them. For a human, he was running remarkably fast. "It doesn't matter to me! I'm just glad you two are safe. That diner has been bad news for _months. _My people had actually sent me to take care of them."

"Your people?" Gareki echoed. "Okay, who the hell are you?"

"You don't recognize me?" There was hurt laced in his voice, and he placed a hand on his chest, sighing dramatically as he went. "How could you, Gareki-kun?"

"Don't call me that." He replied immediately. Nyanperowna ignored him though, the little fucker.

"I am-" Here, he skidded into a stop, forcing the horse to brake suddenly. He did a pirouette and threw off his clothes, the cat head and the bow tie sailing in two different directions. "Prince Yogi of the Kingdom! You should've heard of me in the past couple of years."

"Yeah, uh, no." Gareki looked at him shiftily, trying to calculate just how much of a threat the man was to them. Yogi's violet eyes brimmed with mirth, and he tousled his golden curls elegantly. Without a doubt, the man was attractive.

Attractive but brainless.

"I know you!" Nai butted in, eager to join in the conversation. "You would always juggle for the children! And you set off thousands of balloons into the sky as part of a royal tradition! You even gave me a flower one time!"

"Ding-ding-ding! Nai-chan gets the gold medal!" Yogi joked. The two of them shared a laugh. Gareki could feel himself frowning, the joyful atmosphere around them rather sickening. "So, where are you two going? I'll escort you over."

"No need." Gareki said bluntly. "We can take care of ourselves."

"We're actually going to your kingdom, Yogi." Nai said traitorously. Gareki resisted the urge to facepalm himself and settled on pinching the white-haired boy's arm instead. "So- ow! What'd you do that for, Gareki?" He complained, rubbing his arm.

"I didn't do anything." Gareki lied smoothly. "Anyway, as I've said before, we don't need someone to come with us. Three's a crowd."

"I know that the other people were calling Nai-chan your girlfriend, but I sure didn't expect you two to be in an actual relationship." Yogi looked at them curiously, his orchid colored eyes raking them all over.

"We are _not_-" Before Gareki could finish his sentence, Nai piped up excitedly.

"Of course we're in a relationship!" Nai said happily. "Gareki saved me over and over again! He's saved me from loneliness, from death, and from the moon. He's the best!"

_The moon? _Gareki looked at Nai questioningly, but the boy didn't elaborate, content on doling out those examples. Yogi crossed his arms against his tattered shirt, a small smile on his face.

"It's good to have so much trust built up already." Yogi said, walking over and patting Horse-san. "You must have been through a lot."

"Just a bit." Gareki admitted, reins looped tightly round his wrist. He had half a mind to just run for it when Yogi placed his hands around the horse's neck, rendering it impossible to move from where they were standing. "Do you mind? We have somewhere to go."

"My kingdom, right?" Yogi said. "The only way for you to go in is if you have a badge of certification, and I'm sure you don't have something like that." Yogi pulled out his own glossy badge, the coat of arms glinting brightly under the sun. "Or did you manage to find one?"

Gareki was actually planning on going in from the sides, possibly entering the water chute or climbing over the thorny fence. "Why are you so intent on helping us?" Gareki asked suspiciously. "You know that we aren't your average travelers."

"I'm just here to help those in need." Yogi said, his smile a little off. "That's all."

Gareki was well-versed in the art of bullshitting, and he was absolutely certain that Yogi was lying- although for what reason, he wasn't so sure.

* * *

They settled into a comfortable walking pace, since Yogi assured them time and time again that he knew a shortcut that would get them there by nightfall. Gareki decided to get off the horse and walk beside the blonde man, leading the horse by the reins. Nai was still perched on its back, on account of how he wanted to save his stamina.

And, Gareki had questions to ask the prince that he preferred the white-haired boy to not hear.

"What's the real reason, blondie?" Gareki murmured, standing unbearably close to the other. He almost recoiled when Yogi's arm brushed against his, and he regretted the fact that the mingled scent of rose and cologne smelled undeniably nice coming from him. "Cut the bullshit and be honest."

"What are you talking about?" Yogi replied, his expression calm. However, his eyes started darting around, looking wholly suspicious. "I _am_ being honest! About everything!"

"You're going to take my necklace, aren't you." At those words, Yogi stiffened up, his nonchalant attitude doing a complete 180. "Well, sorry to pop your bubble, princess, but I need it."

"It's prince, actually, but call me Yogi. That sounds better." Yogi said, smiling at him. Gareki lifted an eyebrow but faced forward again, unwilling to converse with the other for any longer. "And I'm not going to take your necklace- but I _am _wondering why you have it in your possession. Princess Kiichi is going to throw a fit once she realizes that her prized diamonds are in someone else's clutches."

"Actually, she already did." Gareki smirked at the memory, remembering the way the guards looked around frantically for him. "I was escaping when I bumped into this kid. Worst mistake of my life, really, to take him with me."

"Is there a reason for stealing it, though? I've heard rumors that it can cure anything, if you find the right enchantress to cast a spell over it." Yogi said, voice full of nothing but curiosity. Gareki weighed his choices- to tell the truth, or not tell the truth? When he looked back at Yogi, the blonde man's face was open and apparent, as trustworthy as a puppy.

"It took me a long time to learn about it- the cure, that is." Gareki said, circumventing around the question. "I took whatever books I could find on curses. I searched far and wide for witches and wizards. Finally, this year, I heard of that rumor- Princess Kiichi would put on her prized diamond necklace and show it off, telling everyone about its magical properties. Of course, to actually _take _the damn thing took a lot of careful planning." Gareki yawned, pulling out his watch and checking the time. It was close to sunset.

"You still haven't answered my question." Yogi pouted, the expression oddly endearing on the older man. Gareki rolled his eyes, and, instead of replying, he merely got back onto the horse, placing himself behind Nai.

"Welcome back, Gareki!" Nai said happily, turning around on the horse to face him. "I was getting bored up here by myself, since you were so busy talking to Yogi."

"Sorry." Gareki said swiftly. "I won't be talking to him again."

"Hey!" Yogi complained, sounding like a whiny five year old. "You can't do that to me! I thought we were _friends, _Gareki-kun!"

"Friends? Hah." Gareki said quietly to himself. "As if I've ever had one of those."

* * *

They reached Yogi's kingdom in record time, and they entered it without a problem, the guards bowing as they went. Gareki felt odd, as though he was in someone else's shoes, as some of the townsfolk smiled and said hello.

"Hello." He nodded back, feeling out of place. "Hi. Nice to see you. Lovely day."

For some reason, they were delighted at inducing such an illicit response from him, and they waved constantly. Nai lapped it all up- he was, after all, a very likable simpleton- waving and smiling happily.

"Aren't they all so perfectly kind, Gareki?" Nai exclaimed, bending down to accept the flower a little girl gave him. "Never would I have had this kind of attention on me back where Karoku and I lived!"

"Our people are kind of friendly." Yogi admitted, munching on a piece of chocolate townsfolk had given him. "Newcomers are always surprised at the welcoming ovation they receive on the first day. After that, they get used to it."

Gareki half-heartedly wondered about how the hell people would get used to _this _when Yogi made the gesture for them to stop, standing in front of an inn. It was a well-furnished hotel, with white shingles and a black rooftop, flowers curling and blooming within every inch of the white walls. Gareki slipped off from the horse and helped Nai off of it, the two of them staring at the inn in quiet wonder.

"Why are you taking us here?" Gareki asked suspiciously, glaring at the blonde. "What are you going to do to us?"

"You need to stop over thinking things and just go with the flow." Yogi said, pulling Horse-san into the stable beside the inn. "Look, I promise you I won't hurt you guys at all during your stay. Happy?"

A steely look was sent over, and Yogi sighed, pulling an épée out from his belt. The silver glinted under the sunlight, and the wickedly sharp tip pointed towards their direction, the sword abnormally long. Gareki hissed at the sudden weapon, but before he could run away, Yogi gave the sword handle over.

"What are you doing?" Gareki said, blinking.

"Since you obviously don't trust me, here." Yogi huffed. "You can take my sword. I'm lending it to you as a contract. Okay? I'm not going to hurt you guys."

Gareki was caught off-guard at the surrendering action, unsure how to react. Nai, however, accepted the sword willingly, holding the hilt. There was a collective silence as the two boys walked into the hotel, Yogi's eyes watching their every move.

* * *

"Why'd you take it?" Nai blinked at the question, still holding on to the weapon as carefully as though he was handling a golden crown. "The sword, I mean."

"This?" Nai lifted up the silver sword, the odd handle jutting out from it precariously. "Isn't it obvious?"

Gareki felt stumped at the chiding tone the other had adopted, lips pursed and eyes narrowed. "How is it obvious? You just accepted something from a stranger so easily! What if it had a tracking device? Or a listening machine strapped on to it? We could be _killed!_"

"We won't." Nai reassured him, an easy smile on his face. "There's no way."

Gareki felt his head throb in irritation, a scowl plastered on to his countenance. "Why the _fuck _do you keep on saying that?" He said, exasperated. "You little, sheltered brat! We don't know a thing about the freak! He _made a hole through a wall without breaking a sweat! _And he has impossibly fast legs! If he wanted to, we could have our throats split at night. Since he's a prince, he has a whole army to command. He could take my necklace." He felt his voice crack at the last sentence, frustrated at how weak he was, at how he was under control by the other. "And when he takes it, he'll take my hope away as well."

His hands were balled into fists at his side, his whole body shaking. He wanted to strangle the white-haired boy. He wanted to slash at him until he bled, the red matching his eyes.

But most of all, he just wanted to leave the other, to abandon him to his own devices. He had caused too much trouble already. He made Gareki feel a million and one emotions at the same time, the feelings clashing and contradicting each other. He needed calm. He needed peace.

Nai stepped forward, the sword placed onto the floor, and he grabbed Gareki's hand, his grip firm and tight.

"Gareki," Nai said gently, "I accepted it because I trust him. I trust Yogi, despite his shifty eyes and his unsure replies. He has an honest aura around him, just like you. Maybe you should open up your heart a little."

"I don't have a heart." Gareki said, his hand limp in the other's smaller ones. "It's been pulled out and buried under the sea."

"Nonsense." Nai placed his other hand onto Gareki's chest, running a trail down it with his lithe fingers. "I can feel it right here, beating away just fine."

Gareki's breath hitched, and all he could feel was the constant throbbing of his heart, the organ ramming against his ribcage like a drum, the other's delicate fingers just stroking, stroking, stroking, until-

-his fingers stopped.

"But... your heart." Nai put his palm over it, his long fingers gripping onto Gareki's tank top.

"It's crying."

* * *

_A/N: About Gareki's heart... there's a reason why Nai said that. It's related to the curse._

_Um. Review for a faster, better update? _


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